AN agricultural university is launching a new degree this September in Equine Management.

After realising there is a shortage of practically-skilled people who work in managing horses or running equine yards, the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has launched a two-year foundation degree course. 

The FdSc in Equine Management will help students to build knowledge and skills in horse care and management, while also teaching them about equine science and business management skills. It will cover all the required practical skills for the British Horse Society’s level 3 Groom's qualification. 

Tracy Bye, course leader and lecturer in animal science, said: “We know that there is a staffing crisis across all parts of the equine industry at present. Looking after horses is a real labour of love - usually involving unsociable hours and hard physical work - and historically there have been issues with pay and conditions which have turned people away from the industry. 

(Image: Newsquest)

“Obviously, as a university, we are here to provide teaching and we want students to sign up to our programmes but, if we're not designing our programmes to support the long-term sustainability of the industry, then we are not doing our job properly.

“Graduates of BSc equine courses usually have aspirations for more senior roles rather than the more ‘hands-on’ positions where a lot of the current staffing issues are seen. They may work in these roles as a gap year, but it is not where their long-term aspirations lie which then leaves a gap in the longevity of these roles.”

Students will complete weekly practical duties at the RAU's Fosse Hill Equestrian Centre.

To find out more about the foundation degree, click here. 

“The British Horse Society does a great job of providing industry-leading practical qualifications, and we have built the practical part of the course around these, but we also want to prepare students with the business knowledge and skills to improve working practices within the industry," Tracy added. 

“You will never get away from the long hours and physical work but there is a lot that can be done to provide staff with better working conditions, better welfare, and therefore better job satisfaction, so that they want to stay in the industry and shape it for a sustainable future.”

For students who choose to complete the FdSc course, they will then have the option of a one-year top-up  to achieve a full BSc (Hons) qualification. According to the RAU, graduates who have complete this course have become an equine journalist, nutritionist, scientist or have gone into fields such as racecourse and yard management, and horse sports administration.